‘Drowsy driving’ to blame for crash that knocked out traffic signal at I-15-Bluff Street interchange

Written by Nick Yamashita
July 29, 2022

ST. GEORGE —They say “the early bird gets the worm,” but for one local driver, it might have been a little too early.

A drowsy driver in a Chevy Avalanche Z66 damaged the control box for the traffic lights at Bluff Street and Interstate 15 on-ramp, July 29, 2022 | Photo by St. George Police, St. George News

St. George Police Officer Tiffany Mitchell said that around 7 a.m. Friday, an adult male traveling east on Bluff Street fell asleep as he turned onto the Interstate 15 southbound on-ramp.

The Chevy Avalanche Z66 then ran up over the paved island where it struck the control box for the traffic lights, causing heavy damage and rendering the traffic signal inoperative.

Medical personnel on the scene examined the male driver but found no injuries. It is uncertain if he was wearing his seatbelt.

The truck flipped and sustained damage. No other vehicles or person(s) were involved in the accident. The driver was cited for unsafe lane travel, Mitchell said.

The City of St. George quickly set up construction cones and is repairing the control box. As of noon Friday, the repairs on the control box were still underway.

Construction already is taking place on the Bluff Street -I-15 southbound on-ramp; due to recent rainfall, the far right lane suffered a washout and is being repaired.

St. George City personnel work on the damaged traffic light control box at noon, July 29, 2022 | Photo by Nick Yamashita, St. George News

Concerning “drowsy driving,” Mitchell offered some advice.

“If you’re drowsy, please don’t drive,” she said. “This was preventable, and it could have been much worse if people had been injured, not to mention the inconvenience and effect it has had on commuters. Again, don’t drive if drowsy.”

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nick Yamashita has extensive experience reporting for small town media, covering a variety of subjects and events for The Virgin River Times and The Progress in Southern Nevada. Before a career in journalism, he worked a variety of jobs in criminal justice systems. Yamashita holds a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and a master's degree in interdisciplinary studies from Southern Utah University. He is an award-winning photographer and writer. He has been published in scholarly articles and poetry compilations. In his spare time, he practices and teaches martial arts.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @STGnews

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